Quality of Machine matters because you want to create mind-blowing looking tattoos, so the quality of your machine matters, because, without a high quality machine, you won't be giving high quality, sickkkkkkk, tats!

Parts of a Rotary Tattoo Machine

Tube/Tip

Grip

Tube Vise

Cam Wheel

Motor Cap

Motor Housing

Clip Cord Attachments

Setting Your Voltage Properly

Rotary Tattoo Machines come either with a preset voltage or an adjustable voltage (regulated or unregulated).

Setting voltage properly is important for certain techniques, for example, you generally want a higher voltage for lining and a lower voltage for shading...

Setting Up A Rotary Tattoo Machine

Adjust retainer screw to open it and create room for the needle bar and tube

If you have stainless steel needles, bend them lightly in middle and insert them carefully into the tube and put the tube tightly into it's clamp

Fit needle-bar loop to nipple and ensure they come together tightly

Hold the needle-bar pin and press it downwards with the attached needle-bar

Bring the needle-bar into contact with the needle-bar retainer rings by tuning the retainer screw to adjust needle-bar retainer

Tighten till needles are firmly in place and don't wobble

Connect to power source and set voltage, then tattoo away

Watch the video above or read these 9 steps!

NOTE: Video is a setup of a coil machine, a rotary machine setup & tuning is similar but when you purchase your machine, it should come with a manual or guide to tell you how to properly set it up, so don't panic if you're confused!

Most Important Features to Look For Before Buying

Depending on what you'll be using your rotary tattoo machine for, should influence your buying decision, and here's why...

Liner Tattoo Machines are short-stroke machines that allow tattooists to create solid lines in a single pass!

Whereas Shader Tattoo Machines are long-stroke machines that are best for applying color, shading, and sculpting lines!

Fortunately, Rotary Tattoo Machines can do both lining & shading...

But to improve performance in either technique, adjust your cam accordingly, as explained below....

"The larger the cam, the longer the rotation and the slower the machine. The smaller the cam, the smaller the rotation and the faster the machine. A smaller cam would be more suited for lining. A larger cam would be more suited for shading." - TattooMachineEquipement.com

NOW THEN, Onto the list of the Top 5 BEST Rotary Tattoo Machines Available Today....

Dragonhawk Essence Review

This is a simple Pen Styled Rotary Tattoo Machine that is incredibly affordable compared to other tattoo machines...

Beginners would enjoy this machine most, considering the facts that its easy to use, has a small learning curve, and is pretty damn cheap for how high quality of a machine it is.....

Is it the best pen style rotary tattoo machine? No.

But is it a great choice for beginners? Most definitely.

It's an inexpensive option that's good enough to get your feet wet with as a new tattoo artist...

And this is good because you don't wanna spend $500 on pro machines, in case you may decide that tattooing isn't for you or you don't have the time for it or something similar arises... Which is exactly why this is one of the best options for beginners...

However, It must be noted that it's performance quality for lining is quite mediocre.. The machines in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd on this list are of a superior quality & versatility....

What You'll Like

Very Affordable

Best for Beginners

Small Learning Curve & Easy to Use

Has good performance for Black & Grey Work, Coloring, and Shading but for all else, it performs poorly.

Dragonhawk Atom Review

You won't get any closer to an ink pen feel than the Atom by Dragonhawk...

What can be said about this Pen Style Kit?

Nothing besides "HOLY SHIT THIS IS BADASS"....

Because those are the first words you'll say enthusiastically out loud, after creating your first tat with this bad boy...

And Badass it is indeed...

The Atom is designed tough, which is intended for a long life, but also...

It's designed for long, continuous hours of use so you can keep working with it while your in a highly focused zone without it overheating or needing rest...

What's even more boast-worthy about this tattoo machine geniusness is it's compact & lightweight design...

Which makes it almost feel like you're back in the late 1700's doing tats on Benjamin Franklin with a feather bruh!

The Atom is by far the best pen style rotary tattoo machine available today and the best choice for you if you want a pen style!

NOTE: Use an RL Needle for Lines and RS Needle for Shading with this Rotary Tattoo Machine

What You'll Like

Can Operate Continuously for Long Periods

Lightweight

Quiet

Under $100

Long-lasting Stability & Durability

Easy to Install

Less Painful & Safe to Use

Easy to Use & Learn

Very Little Vibration

Mind-blowing Performance that Resembles a Professional Grade Tattoo Machine for a FRACTION of the Cost

Great for Beginners & Experts

Compatible with ALL Cartridge Needles

What You'll Dislike

Ink sold separately

Doesn't use RCA power cord

Shipping Errors Occured with Previous Customers (If this happens to you, contact Dragonhawks customer service and let the know you want either a refund or a brand new version of the product you bought, reshipped)

FAQ

Why did we include Dragonhawk so many times?

Dragonhawk is a stellar tattoo machine brand...

It has crafted magnificent products for the average person who just wants to make some sickkk tats but at a reasonable price...

We could've included brands like Bishop, but do you really wanna drop $600 just for a tattoo machine??? Especially if you're just beginning?? (Now maybe if you're a professional but it's your first time shopping for a rotary tattoo machine, then ya, maybe consider a Bishop, but honestly, Dragonhawk & similar inexpensive brands can deliver close to the same quality for a fraction of the price!)

How did we determine the rankings of these Top 5 Rotary Tattoo Machines?

Here is what we considered when finding the products for our top 5 rankings:

Features

Pros of Product (What YOU our Reader will probably like)

Cons of Product (What YOU our Reader probably won't like)

Previous Customer Reviews & Ratings

Price

We didn't want to include expensive products because most of you reading this are probably beginners, so getting a $600 Bishop Rotary Tattoo Machine isn't necessary....

At the same time, we wanted to list the best quality products possible without breaking the bank, which is why we factored in previous customer reviews, pros, & cons of each product we looked at...

The 5 you see on the list, are the best of the best (while not being insanely expensive like professional grade tattoo machines are)...

Our top 5 has the least amount of cons possible, while having the most pros & feature-rich products, all at reasonable, affordable prices!

What are the best inks & aftercare products to use?

We have two separate articles that go in-depth about the best tattoo inks and best tattoo aftercare products to use...

So if you're a beginner and you have no clue about either of those... Check out those articles right now! 🙂

Michael enjoys the fine things that life has to offer, such as... Cigars, Whiskey, Good Music (Rock 'n' Roll Preferably), Shredding On Guitar, Joy Rides That Exceed Legal Speed Limits, And Staring Death In The Face With Such A Horrifyingly Manly Look That Death Himself Wishes He Could Cease Existence... Being a Writer and Helping Others is Just Another Thing That Michael Enjoys.

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